Helmet.



L. D. MAHAN.

HELMET.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27.1910. LQSL'YWU Patented July 3,1917.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L. D. MAHAN.

HELMET.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27. I916.

Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 (All! I rn'on'annn. Manner, or wasmneron', nrs'rnrcrr or conunnm, Assrenon. or time ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO RICHARD B. BOYLE ANDFIVE ONE-HUNDREDTHS T0 EDGAR w. BOYLE, BOTH or wasnmerolv; nrsrnrcr 03F COLUMBIA.

HELMET.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LEONARD D. MAHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Helmets, ing is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to an improvement in head covering and particularly to a helmet for the use of soldiers when at war, and has for its object to provide a helmet of such form and construction as will protect the head of the wearer from the direct fire of small guns, machine guns and the like and the indirect fire of shrapnel and explosive shells, and to this end the helmet is made. in two main'parts, a head frame that fits upon and is secured in the usual manner on the head of the soldier and an exterior cover formed preferably of an integral sheet of steel pressed into form and having a handle at its rear and a scoop or shovel shaped front which will'enable the cover to be used when necessary as an intrenching tool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a helmet such as described with a removable cover adjustable on the head frame whereby said cover may be tilted vertically to raise and lower the extended front end for the purpose of protecting more or less of the head andface during an engagement. A further object of the invention is to provide a helmet with a removable steel cover formed of a single sheet of metal pressed into such shape as to be wholly free from angles and flat surfaces on its outer side, the entire exterior surface being more or less convexly curved so as to deflect projectiles should they strike the surface of the helmet. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide a helmet for the purpose described having a removable, relatively impenetrable cover that will serve as an intrenching tool, with a head frame made of metal to fit the crown of the head and preferably of skeleton form provided with suitable cushioning to render the same more comfortable to the "wearer, to distribute the force of blows delivered upon the helmet from the spot struck and which head frame is separated or spaced from the cover to give ample ventilation.

With'these objects in view, the invention Specification of Letters Patent.

of which the follow- I Patented July a, rat a.

Application filed July 27, 1916. Serial 0. 111,747.

consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of described, pointed out in illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1. is a side elevation of the complete helmet shown in position on the head of the wearer.

2. is a bottom view of the helmet.

Fig. 3. is a vertical cross sectional view of the same from front to rear on the line 3-3, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4. is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 4-4, of the same figure.

Fig. 5. is a bottom view of the head frame with cushioning means omitted.

Fig. 6. is a detail sectional view of a por tion of the helmet cover showing the slot for the attachment of the chin strap.

Fig. 1s a perspective view of the helmet adaptability as an intrenching tool.

Fig. 8. is a cross-sectional View of the head frame showing pneumatic means for cushioning the same.

Fig. 9. is the perspective view illustrating the head frame without the cover 24. and adapted to be worn as a cap.

In the drawings 10 indicates a head frame made of proper shape and of suitable size to fit the head of the wearer, said frame comprising a band 11 of thin metal preferably steel and two cross-strips, 12 and 13, secured to the band 11, and passing respectively from front to rear and crosswise from side to side. The bands intersect preferably at right angles at a point thatiwill be above the crown of the head when worn and as a protection for the head a circular cushion 14, which may be of felt, pneumatic means or the like is secured against the inner sides of the strips 12 and 13, at their intersection. The inner surface of the band with felt of said strips are also provided the strips Projecting laterally from the center of I each side of the band 11, perpendicular to said band and in line with each other 1s a stud 20, the outer end of which studs are reduced to form pivots be described later. At the rear of the headpiece 10 there is riveted to the band 11 a spring 22 made of flat spring metal and bent downwardly in a curve as shown, the free end of said spring extending downwardly behind the head-piece and having a pin 23 projecting rearwardly therefrom, the terminal of said downwardly projecting end curving outwardly to form a finger piece.

Above the head-piece 10, and removably connected thereto, is the cover 24 made as shown somewhat in the form-of a shovel or scoop having a relatively deep head-receiving portion and a relatively shallow extension consisting preferably of a single sheet of steel pressed preferably into the shape shown, that is to say, of a substantially hemispherical form at the rear where it overlies the head of the wearer, and extending in flattened curves at its forward end where it projects over and for some distance beyond the face of the wearer. As will be seen, the entire exterior of the helmet is without fiat surfaces and is wholly free of corners, said surface being made up of a series of curves that serve to deflect projectiles which strike the helmet. The cover 24 is made of steel sufficiently strong to protect the wearer from projectiles fired by small arms and machine guns and from shrapnel fire, and sufliciently stiff to serve, when removed from the head-piece, as an intrenching tool for which purpose a handle 25 of any type cured at the rear of cover 24.

On each side of the cover 24 near the lower edge is a perforation 26, said perforations forming bearings for the pivots 21 of the studs 20 which project through said perforations from the inside. Shoulders 27 are formed on the studs at the base of the pivots 21 to bear against the inner sides of the cover 24 and limit the projection of the studs through the perforations. The band 11 of the head-piece from which the studs project is sufficiently resilient to hold the studs in place and which when pressed to ward each other will yield and withdraw the pivots 21 from the perforation 26 whenever the cover is to be removed from the head-piece. At the lower inner central rear of the head-piece 24 is a suitable rack 28 cloth or- 21 for a purpose to found most convenient is se-' provided with a series of steps 28 into any one of which the pin 23 on the spring 22 may enter and hold the cover'at various angles on the head-frame 10. By thls means the extended front end of the cover may be held above the range of direct vision of the wearer, or slightly tilted to protect his face when exposed to the fire of an enemy.

In connection with the helmet for holding the same on the head of the wearer, there are provided two straps, one 29, connected to the cover 24 to pass under the chin of the wearer and the other 30, attached to the head-piece and extending back of the head. The chin-strap 29 has a loop 31 at each end, each loop being engaged with a slot 32 in each side of the helmet preferably in front of the perforation 26. These slots are formed by cutting a short upwardly projecting tongue33 from the material of the' helmet and bending the same downwardly against the inner surface of the same to form a smooth rounded edge against which the strap loop bears. The chin strap is provided with a buckle 34 to adjust the length thereof to the wearer.

The head-strap 30 is riveted or otherwise fastened on the band 11 of the head-piece and fits snugly around the back of the head as shown in Fig. 1.

A helmet made as described affords ample protection from both direct and indirect fire and by reason of its shape and cushioning is penetrated with di culty, and because of the cushioning on the head-piece, blows on the helmet are distributed over the head and are not concentrated at the spot receiving the blow. The head-piece, bein of the skeleton form shown and space from the cover 24 at the front, rear and sides, afi'ords ample ventilation for the head, as air can readily circulate between the head-piece and the cover.

An important feature of the invention is in the construction of the helmet cover 24 of such shape as to provide not only ample protection for the wearer but which may be, as a whole, quickly and easily removed from the headpiece and employed as an entrenching tool. The headpiece after separation from the cover may be replaced on the head and the cover due to its shovel or scoop form serves as an excellent intrenching tool, the handle 25. beinggrasped by one hand and the chin strap 29 serving as a holding means or grip for the other hand, thus enabling the cover 24 to be readily manipulated. The cover is strong and because of its shape, very stiff, and being worn on the head when not needed for intrenchin purposes, serves as protection for the hea and lessens the number of tools to be carried to the front; and the loss of intrenching tools, as the soldier will after finishing with or completmg his work of digging, return the implement to the head-piece Where it will always be ready when again required. When marching if the soldier is not required to wear the helmet it may be carried on the back over the pack and supported in the same manner as the present intrenehing outfit carried by soldiers.

The head-piece 10 may be covered as shown in Fig. 9, by a removable cap and worn in this manner so as to more fully protect the head of the wearer from the elements, etc.

Instead of using felt or like material for cushioning the head-piece a rubber tube 35 see Fig. 8, is secured against the inner surface of the band 11 by a leather or textile jacket 16 which tube can be blown up like a pneumatic tire, said tube being preferably of elliptical form the longer axis disposed vertically. At the crown of the head in place of the felt pad 14 a pneumatic cushion 36 of any suitable shape may be substituted therefor.

What I claim is:

1. A military helmet comprising a scoopshaped shell having its cavity formed with a head-receiving portion and a longitudinal extension beyond the head-receiving portion, the inner surface of the shell being free and unobstructed, and means for securing the helmet to the head.

2. A helmet comprising a head frame made of a band to embrace thehead and cross pieces fastened thereto and extending over the head, cushioning means applied to the band and cross pieces, a cushion at the intersection of said cross pieces and a convex cover made of metal secured to the head frame and extending entirely over the head of the wearer and projecting in front of the same, said cover being removable from the head frame to serve as an intrenching tool.

3. A helmet comprising a skeleton head frame and a cover made of metal removably secured to said head frame to serve as an intrenehing tool, said head frame being formed of a metal band and two curved cross strips fastened to said band to hold the head frame on the head, padding on the interior of said band and cross strips, a protecting and holding jacket for securing said padding in position, a pad at the intersection of said cross pieces, and a stud projecting from each side of said band to engage perforations in the cover for removably attaching the latter to the head frame.

4. A military helmet comprising a scoopshaped shell having its cavity formed with a relatively deep head-receiving portion and a relatively shallow longitudinal extension beyond the head-receiving portion, said shell having a handhold at its relatively deep portion.

5. A military helmet comprising a scoopshaped shell having its cavity formed with a relatively deep head-receiving portion and a relatively shallow longitudinal extension beyond the head-receiving portion, the headreceiving portion of the shell being constructed to present an abrupt spheroidal outer deflecting surface and the extension presenting a longitudinally inclined deflecting surface merging therewith; said shell having at its relatively deep headreceiving portion, a handhold located near the edge of the cavity and leaving the abrupt portion of the shell free to receive the knee of the user in assisting penetration when excavating.

6. A military helmet comprising a scoopshaped shell having its cavit formed with a headreceiving portion and a longitudinal extension beyond the head-receiving portion in combination with a means for engaging the head, the said means being removable from the shell to leave the interior of the shell clear and unobstructed for use as an intrenehing tool.

7. A military helmet comprising a scoopshaped shell having a relatively deep headreceiving portion and a relatively shallow extension, a handhold at the end of the helmet opposite to the extension, and a holding means connected to opposite sides of the helmet intermediate the ends thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEONARD D. MAI-IAN. 

